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Published on: April 6, 2022
Effects of dehydration on corneal tissue absorption of topical azithromycin in rabbits
Khalid F Tabbara1, Amgad A Kotb, Ehab F Hammouda
1The Eye Center and The Eye Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. k.tabbara.nesma.net.sa
Purpose:
To assess the corneal tissue absorption of azithromycin in desiccated and normal eyes of rabbits.
Methods:
A total of 25 New Zealand Albino rabbits weighing 2-3 kg each were included. One eye of each rabbit was desiccated. The other eye was left as control. Azithromycin 1.5% topical eyedrops were instilled in both eyes. Five rabbits were sacrificed at each of the following time points: 30 min, 3 hr, 6 hr, and 12 hr. Corneal tissues specimens were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. A paired t test was used to evaluate the statistical difference in corneal tissue absorptions of azithromycin at each time point.
Results:
The mean corneal tissue levels of azithromycin in dry eyes were 66.3 microg/ml, 92.6 microg/ml, 117.5 microg/ml, and 179.9 microg/ml, and the mean corneal tissue levels of azithromycin in normal eyes were 42.0 microg/ml, 43.4 microg/ml, 43.3 microg/ml, and 80.0 microg/ml at 30 min, 3 hr, 6 hr, and 12 hr respectively. Both groups showed increase in corneal tissue absorption overtime (p < 0.0001). Significantly higher levels of azithromycin were noted in dry eyes at each time point except at the 30-min time point.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrated that corneas exposed to desiccation showed statistically significant increase in azithromycin level compared to normal eyes.
